Method of finishing pile carpet or rug



O 1934- R. G. KNOWLAND ET AL ,9

METHOD OF FINISHING FILE CARPET OR RUG Filed Nov. 18, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l q a Q I a a Q mmd a N I wwf.

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METHOD OF FINISHING FIL E CARPET OR RUG Filed Nov. 18 1931 2 SheetsSheet 2 [I H ll II II II llll [I II II llll'll llll\llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll INVENTDR Patented Oct. 2, 1934 PATENT O FFICEQL 1 97 I r METHOD OF FINISHING FILE; CARPET on Richard G. Knowland, Longmeadow lllilass, and

Weilesley 33. Cooper,

Amsterdam, N. Y., as-

"signers to Bige low sanford Carpet '00 Inc.,

' Thompsonville, -cl1usetts a corporation of Massa- Application November 18, 1931, Serial No. 575,764 b '5 Claims.

5 the same.

Pile carpets and rugs as now ordinarily made have the pile surfaceformed of twisted pile yarn secured to a backing fabric in rows of project- 'ing tufts which extend transversely or longitu- .10 dinally of the backing fabric. These rows of tufts remain objectionably apparent in the finished carpet'or rug and in many cases the backing fabric will grin through, thus detracting from the appearance of'the carpet or rug during One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a pile carpet or rug and its method of finishing that the objections heretofore existing shall be eliminated'either entirely or, at least,

' to a substantial degree, such that the rows of pile formingtufts shall-be less conspicuous and the backing fabric be so fully covered that it will -not grin through. a v

. The pile forming-tufts of a carget orrug are v usually composed ofwoolen fibres, in whole or in part, which possess a felting characteristic when subjected to arubbing action in the presence of heat and moisture and advantage is taken of this fact as one of the steps in finishing the 1 pile surface to eliminate the objectionable row effect and secure a pile surface of increased coverage for the backing fabric. In order to secure the best results the woolen fibres of adjacent tufts should be separated that they may be 1 5 more readily interlocked or felted together,'especially at the end portions of the woolen fibres, during the rubbing action, and provide a cover.- age surface that will eliminate in whole or in part the row effect and hide the backing fabric.

40 separation of the fibres may be accomplished "during the rubbingaction; and preferably by imparting a movement tothe rubbing element in a direction calculated to remove some or all -of the twist in the tufts. During the rubbingaction the end'portions of the woolen fibres will be polished to'a considerable degree with theresult that the finished pile surface will present an increased lustre.

' I More specifically stated" the invention contemt subjecting thexpile surface to a steaming pperation which has the effect of heating and .moistening the twisted pile tufts and conditioning the-pile surface, then removing the? twist from-thepile tufts in whole or in part to spread 1 or separate'the woolen" fibres, and subjecting the "separated fibres'to a rubbing action while still in a heated and moist condition to cause the woolen fibres of adjacent tufts to be interlocked and felted together. 5

The method of the present invention may be variously carried into effect to produce the finished carpet or rug, and in the accompanying drawings one good practical form of a machine is shown for that purpose.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of a machine-suitable for the-performance of the method of the present invention, some of the parts being broken away for clearness of illustration;

. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the machine with "some of the parts shown in section and the centre of the machine broken out;

Fig. 3. is a longitudinal section showing one form of carpet or rug having rows of twisted tufts for the production of the-pile surface, and

Fig. 4 is a similar longitudinal section showing, in a somewhat exaggerated condition, the carpet or rug of the present invention as produced from the form of carpet or rug of Fig. 3.

The essentials of the present invention both as to the method and article will be'st be made clear by a brief description-of the machine adaptedfor carrying out the method, and thereafter the carpet or rug itself and its final condition will betreated. U I

The frame work 1 of the machinemay be of any usual character suitable for the support of the operating parts and mounted upon the machine frame by the hangers 2 is a steam box 3, the upper surface 4 of which is formed as a perforated-cover, The hangers 2 are mounted upon cross bars 5, .one at each end of the steam box and within the latter are a series 'of steam pipes or coils 6 having openings '7 directed laterally therefrom. This lateral disposition of the 'openpurpose of, causing the-steam tosaturate and .heat the pile surface of the "carpet or rug passing .over the perforated cover 4, as will presently appear;

Thecarpet or rug 10 passes from a suitable source of supply over a guide roller 11 mounted lit on brackets 12 near the entrance end of the steam box, and from the roller 11 the pile carpet or rug passes over the top of the perforated cover 4, with the result that steam issuing from the steam pipes will pass through the perforated cover 4 and moisten and heat the pile surface, which extends upwardly in the present instance. Mounted adjacent one end of the steam box are the pile rubbing elements, comprising in the present instance, a pile rubbing platen 13, which preferably extends transversely of the carpet or rug during treatment and the pile rubbing platen is given an oscillatory circular motion during its rubbing action. The means for imparting the rubbing action to the platen may be variously contrived, but as shown in the present instance, comprises the following mechanical elements.

Mounted at each side of the machine frame are the supporting angle irons 14 which are adjustably secured in position by suitable bolts 15, which pass through elongated openings '16 in the ve tical arm of the angle iron.

Mounted upon the angle irons 14 are thesupports 17 between the upper ends of which are supported the cross beams 18, and upon the .upper end portions of the latter are mounted the supports 19.

The supports 19, as shown, are provided with bearings 20 for an operating shaft 21, which may be conveniently driven from a going part of the machine, which in the present instance is shown as a driving shaft 22, mounted in the lower part of the frame work and having a sprocket wheel '23 over which passes a sprocket chain 24, and

at its upper portion passes about a sprocket wheel 25 on the operating shaft 21, the construction being such that upon rotation of the shaft 22 through the connections described the driving shaft 21 will be rotated.

Mounted on the driving shaft 21 and secured for rotative movement therewith are the bevel :gears 26 which engage complemental bevel gears 27 on the vertical shafts 23 which are mounted for rotative movement in the suitable bearings carried by the beam 18.

Mounted on the lower end of each of the shafts 28 is an eccentric 29 which engagesopen- .ings in blocks 30 secured to the pile rubbing platen 13. In the present instance of the invention the shafts 28 are supported in their working position vertically by the beam 18 through the collars 31 which are interposed between the bevel gears 27 and upper bearings 32 of the shaft as shown in the present instance, the carpet or rug support 33 is yieldingly mounted by means of bolts 34 secured-to the machine frame and extending through the carpet or rug support. In the present instance the carpet or rug support is .yieldingly held by means of springs 35 interposed between the carpet or rug support 33 and nuts 36.

It may be advisable at times to provide the carpet or rug suppo'rt33 with yielding means such as described, but such yielding means is optional and adjustment of the pile rubbing platen 13 towards and from the carpet or rug support 33 may be secured by adjustment of the angle irons 14 on which the supports 17 are mounted.

In accordance with the present invention the carpet or rug is moved through the machine during its steaming and moistening period and during its rubbing treatment and as one convenient means to this end the machine includes a spiked roller 37 mounted in suitable bearings carried by brackets 38 adjustably secured to the machine frame.

From the construction of the machine described as generally embodying a good practical form of mechanism for carrying out the process of the present invention, it will be apparent that as the pile carpet or rug is moved through the machine by the spiked roller 37 it will first be passed through or over the steam box 3 where the pile surface will be heated and moistened and conditioned for the succeeding operation of the .rubbingmechanism, and as the pile; carpet or .rug passes over thesupport 33 the pile rubbing platen 13 will act upon the pile surfacejna substantially circular reciprocating path and exert a rubbing action upon the pile Inasmuch as the present invention contemplates felting of the woolen fibres forming the pile tufts, it is desirable thatthe fibres be separated or spread out that they mayproperly-intermingle and be locked together by the felting operation, and as one appropriate means for. effecting this conditionthe pile rubbing platen is given a movement contrary to the twist in the pile forming tufts, thereby removing the twist from said tufts in whole or in part and permitting the fibres in adjacent tufts to intermingle and be rubbed together or felted, while in heated and moist condition, by the pile rubbing platen.

As typical of a carpet or rug having a pile surface as ordinarily produced, itwill be noted in Fig. 3 that the pile tufts 39 are composed of twisted fibres which extend upwardly from the backing fabric which in the present instance of the invention isshown as formed of the binding warp threads 40, the stufier 41, and the transversely extending weft threads 42, one ,atthe back and the other at the top of the, foundation fabriaand that the twisted tufts 39 passabout or under the upper weft threads42. i

When a rug or carpet formed as indicated in Fig. 3 is subjected to the action of the heating and moistening operation in the steam box, the

twisted pile tufts will be raised and conditioned, and as the carpet or rug passes between the rubbing platen and support 33, the platen ,will act upon the pile tufts in a direction to-iremove part or all of the twist, with the result that the woolen fibres in the tufts become separated, and while still in a moist and heated condition will be further subjected to a rubbing actionby. the rubbing platen to thereby cause thegseparated woolen fibres to be interlocked and felted together, as indicated moreclearly in Fig. 4.;

Referring to Fig. 4 it-xwill'be-noted that 'the fibres of the different tufts, separated or untwisted, will be intermingled, as indicated at-43,

and inasmuch as they are subjected to a rubbing action while in a moist and heated condition,

the individual woolen fibres of adjacenttufts will become permanently interlocked iand felted together, thereby eliminating to apronounced degree the row effect of'the tufts, .as indicated in 'Fig; 3, and produce a homogeneous pile surface with sufficient coverage of the backingfabric-to prevent the latter from .grinning through. .2 1

During the rubbing action the fibres will be polished toward their end portions, thereby increasing the lustre in the completed fabric, and while Fig. 4 shows in an exaggerated condition the interlocked fibres and the coverage effect produced thereby, it nevertheless typifies in a clear manner the general condition that will result in the practice of the method.

It will be noted also that the rubbing pressure on the pile surface is not such as to destroy the pile effect or to mat down the woolen fibres, but is such only as to permit the fibres to be permanently interlocked by felting and extend upwardly from the backing fabric as a more complete coverage thereof to prevent grinning through and the elimination of the row effect.

What is claimed is 1. The method of finishing the pile surface of woven carpets and rugs having rows of pile formed of twisted woolen fibres, which consists in heating and moistening the pile forming tufts, then untwisting the ends of the pile forming tufts, and subjecting the untwisted pile forming tufts while still heated and moist to a rubbing action to cause the woolen fibres of adjacent tuft ends to be interlocked and felted together to form a homogeneous pile surface coverage for the ground or back and prevent its grinning through.

2. The method of forming a homogeneous pile surface on woven carpets and rugs having rows of pile forming tufts composed of twisted woolen fibres, which consists in heating and moistening the pile forming tufts, then untwisting the ends of the pile forming tufts, and simultaneously subjecting the fibres of the untwisted pile forming tufts to a rubbing action while still heated and moist to cause the woolen fibres of adjacent tuft ends to become permanently interlocked and felted together to eliminate the row effect of the pile and prevent the backing or ground fabric from grinning through.

3. The method of finishing the pile surface of woven carpets and rugs having rows of pile forming tufts composed of woolen fibres, which consists in steaming the pile surface to raise and condition the pile forming tufts, then separating the individual fibres of the adjacent pile forming tufts and subjecting them to a rubbing pressure action while still heated and moist topolish the fibres and cause the woolen fibres of adjacent tuft ends to become permanently interlocked and felted togetherto form a homogeneous pile tread coverage surface for the ground or back and prevent its grinning through.

4. The method of finishing the pile surface of woven carpets and rugs having the pile formed of woolen fibres, which consists in moistening and heating the pile surface, and then subjecting the pile surface to a rotative felting pressure while still in a moist and heated condition to cause the wool fibres in adjacent tufts to become permanently interlocked and felted together so that their ends produce a homogeneous pile surface which eliminates the row effect of the pile.

5. The method of finishing the pile surface of woven carpets and rugs having pile tufts 100 formed of twisted woolen fibres, which consists in heating and moistening the pile forming tufts to first condition them, then rubbing the ends of the hot wet tufts with a rotative movement adapted to untwist the fibres forming the tufts and 105 simultaneously felt the end fibres of adjacent tufts together without crushing or matting down the pile to thereby provide the carpet or rug with a pile tread surface of homogeneous character which eliminates the row effect of the pile and 110 prevents the backing fabric from grinning through.

RICHARD G. KNOWLAND. WELLESLEY B. COQPER. 

